So the Cold Wind Blows
by rayquazing
Summary: Five tribes constantly at odds, it seems there is no end to the bloodshed. In the middle of the chaos there stands a lone girl with none but the Gods at her back. Clan AU
1. Chapter 1

The air is bitter and bites my skin as I look out over the fields. It is mid-winter. The air is dry and the grass, waist high in some places, is brittle and dead. I lick my chapped lips and turn to my brother.

"What do you think?" I ask.

His face shows little interest in the task at hand, we are supposed to be scouting the plains.

"I don't know, Beatrice. I don't see any sign of them. No broken stalks of grass, no fires, no dead animals. It seems like Abnegation is the only tribe for miles."

"But shaman said-"

"Know what he said," he cuts me off, "he was wrong this time. The dauntless aren't careful about covering their tracks, they would want to scare us before the attacked. There are no signs of them, so they aren't out here."

"Okay," I sigh, "it's a half days ride back to camp, we'd be best to go before dark."

We ride in silence leaving me to contemplate the difficult situation we are now in. Our world may be small but it is full of conflict. There are five tribes that exist on the western plains, which cover hundreds of miles of our home continent. Each tribe values one attribute to the human mind that they say we are born without. There are the Amity, who see peace and kindness as something that humans lack and must achieve through a lifetime of learning and conditioning. Then the Dauntless who desire bravery and strength, and the Erudite who value intelligence and the pursuit of knowledge. The Candor value the truth and the pursuit of it. And the Abnegation, my tribe of birth, values Selflessness. We are constantly at odds with each other.

I know little of the other tribes as all of us try to stay out if each other's ways, except for Dauntless. They are barbaric in their ways. The Shaman of my people claims that we are now their target, that they will soon raid us and destroy us. The Shaman has a distinct connection with the Gods and what he says is accepted as fact.

That is why my brother, Caleb, and I were sent out onto the plains to scout. We are looking for the trail of chaos the Dauntless so often leave in their wake, and we have found nothing. Other scouts will be sent further than we were, but for now we are safe.

On the way back to our winter camp Caleb manages to shoot a rabbit with an arrow. Straight through the eye. It makes a fine dinner, even though we eat it raw. After we finish, we burry all that remains and thank the Gods and the rabbit for the meal provided. Normally we would have kept any useful remains of the animal, but as we have nothing with us to carry them in we gave it the best end we could.

When we arrive at the base camp there is no welcome party. The sun has set and everyone is likely already asleep. We tie our horses up with the others and go straight to the leaders' tent. Inside out father and several other leaders, including the Shaman, wait for us.

"Caleb, Beatrice, thank the Gods you've made it uninjured." Our father hugs each of us, then moves back behind the table, on which there lies a map.

"What have you learned children?" Marcus, the Shaman, asks.

I nearly roll my eyes at the world "children" Caleb and I are three days away from our rite of passage. After that we are adults. Caleb will begin to train for whatever position he chooses amongst the Abnegation men, and I will be married to someone five years my elder.

Unless I choose to study under the Priestess. If I choose to do so I would be spared for six months, if at the end of that time is showed no improvement in my connection to the Gods I would be married off.

"Right Beatrice?" Caleb's voice pulls me from my head.

"What?"

"Nothing but miles of dead grass." He says.

"Yes exactly that. Dead grass and cold air. Not even a dead fire." I sigh.

Marcus shakes his head, "No," His voice has become strangely hoarse, "no I swear I saw him." He rubs his hand over his face.

"Him?" I ask. Clearly a wrong move as nearly everyone in the tent looks to me. Curiosity is frowned upon in Abnegation. And the fact that I am a woman makes this transgression even worse in the eyes of the men around me. The space around me is quiet and tense for a moment, the only sound coming from Marcus who is mumbling to himself.

"Please forgive my sister," Caleb speaks up, "you all know how feeble women can be." He places his hand on my shoulder, and though I want to shake it off and slap him for calling me feeble, I let it stay.

Everyone's attention leaves us as Marcus, who has been mumbling to himself, begins to growl irritably. His blue eyes widen suddenly

"Leave all of you, I must be alone with the Gods." He motions for us to leave, almost violently.

Caleb and I are the first ones out. We walk away quickly before I can be admonished for my transgression in the presence of the Shaman.

"What were you thinking?" Caleb snaps at me once we are alone in our own tent.

"Shhhh mother and father are right next door. If you're too loud we'll get in more trouble than we are in already."

"It's you who is in trouble, not me. And answer my question." He flops down on his mat.

"I just wanted to know who "he" was. Do you think it could be-?"

"No. And stop being so curious. You're acting like an Erudite." He cuts me off, "now stop thinking Beatrice, you need your sleep." He rolls so he is facing away from me and I know the conversation is over.

I lie on my mat, I made it myself from elk hide. The fur is soft, and warm, and it smells of smoked rabbit. I'll miss this mat. I won't be allowed to keep it once I am married. Everything I own will be taken from me, except for a single grey dress I will wear at my wedding. Everything else my husband will provide for me. And I will be expected to bear him children, preferably sons, as if I could control that. I will be expected to love my husband and cook all of his meals. I will keep our tent clean and feed out horses' every day. I could never love someone who I am a slave to. I will despise him until the day I die. I have heard whispers that I will be given to a boy named Robert. He is a kind boy, but I don't want to marry him. He is simple and quiet. He can barely ride a horse. Some say he will not pass his rite of passage, and a horrible selfish part of me hopes that they are right.

I feel tears stinging behind my eyes at the thought of marrying, so I close them. Then I do something that I haven't done in eight years, since I was eight years old, I pray. I pray to the Gods to take me away from this place. Then I tell them that if this is what they truly intend for me, then they must show me in my dreams. And at that thought I drift away.

**A/N: tell me what you think**


	2. Chapter 2

The next few days are uneventful and quiet. All of the 16 year olds in Abnegation can feel a dark foreboding, cast over us like a shadow. None of us want to accept what is coming tomorrow, but the rite of passage is a fact of life here.

Those who fail will be cast out onto the plains to live out their days as wanderers. More often than not they are killed by wild animals, poor weather, or Dauntless hunters. It is a death sentence to be cast out by your tribe, and exiled from all others. My throat tightens at the thought of being a wanderer. The Shaman would declare me a damned soul. They say that after a wanderer is killed their spirit is doomed to roam the plains for all eternity, unless pardoned by a Shaman or Priestess.

Caleb and I spend the day with others our age. All of us quietly discussing what we think we will be required to do. Boys and girls are usually given different tasks. Last year each girl had to spend three days in the Temple, a large tent made entirely of wolf pelt, praying to the goddess of the hearth and the home for guidance. Once they emerged, the Priestess looked each of them in the eyes and questioned them thoroughly. No woman failed that year.

I don't know what the boys had to do. Women and men are forbidden from sharing such things with one another.

I am sitting in a circle of girls around a small fire. Clutching my thick grey wool sweater to my frame. They are all talking about what they think we will have to do. Some of them think we will have to show our skills at the hunt, with a war with the Dauntless on the horizon, the leaders want battle ready citizens.

I doubt that this will be the case. Women are forbidden from hunting and killing, it is seen as unclean.

I am about to make my thoughts known when a feel a hand shoulder. It is the Priestess, her wrinkled withered form hanging over mine. She is the only woman in the village who is allowed to wear clothing that is not grey wool or animal pelt. She wears vibrant red and orange robes with golden trim on the loose sleeves.

"Come with me Beatrice," every girl in the circle goes silent, I can feel Caleb's gaze on me from the circle of boys, "we must speak alone."

She leads me on a winding path through the camp, many people stop and stare. The Priestess rarely leaves the Temple, and even when she does she hardly speaks.

She opens the flap that leads into the Temple. It is larger than it appears to be from the outside. It is very dark, the only light coming from two small red candles burning in front of what appears to be an altar. The air smells strange, almost like brush fire.

"Sit." She motions to a red mat on the floor. I do as she says.

She sits on a mat parallel to mine, "you will not be partaking in the rite of passage tomorrow, Beatrice Prior."

"What? I have to or else I will be-"

"You will fail if you try. You are special, my sisters and I have spoken and we have decided that we must protect you," she places a hand on my shoulder.

"Sisters?" I ask.

"You will understand in time. It is a shame that the Goddess would choose someone so young," she places a hand on my cheek, "so tiny," her other hand falls to my forearm, "so delicate."

A sharp pain flares beneath her hand and I cry out and pull away. I see in her hand a knife, wet with my blood.

"Why did you cut me?" I hiss.

She lays the blade over one of the candles, her eyes glazed. She then turns to me, takes my injured arm I her hand and wraps a red cloth around the wound. Binding it tightly.

"The flames tell all," she points a single crooked gnarled finger at the candle on the left side of the altar. The blade of the knife is glowing blue. Filling the Temple with an ominous glow, "you must leave Abnegation at once, lest you seek your own demise."

"What?" I am shaking. I am afraid.

"Do not fear, on the plains the Goddess will provide for you," she smiles widely, "you will change everything, Beatrice."

"What do you mean?" I stand up and begin to back out of the tent. My eyes locked with the Priestess's.

"No, you mustn't leave yet. We must first devise a plan." She holds out a hand to stop me.

"A plan for what?" My knees feel like they could give out at any moment.

"Your escape from this place."

I am about to cut her off when she stands and puts a hand over my mouth.

"Listen to what I have to say, it will save your life. At midnight tonight I will have a horse ready for you, as well as rations and travel clothes. You will meet me outside of this place and I will see you off. You will cut your hair to your chin so you look less like a woman, it will help to keep bandits at bay," she pauses then puts a hand on each of my shoulders, "you can tell no one of this."

I nod. I feel like my feet are stuck to the earth where I stand. I may not love Abnegation as much as my father or brother, but I don't want to be alone.

"I will see you at midnight Beatrice. Bring nothing with you but the clothes on your back, and don't forget to cut your hair."

I spend the rest of the day wandering aimlessly around the camp. Occasionally stopping to sit. I have to see it all one last time before I leave it. Those who abandon their tribe are never welcomed back.

Once the sun begins to set I return to my family. Caleb and I prepare a supper of rabbit and bread, then we sit and eat in relative silence. I can feel my mother's eyes on me. She knows that something is wrong. I make a point to hug everyone before bed.

I stay down until I am sure that everyone is asleep, then I sneak from my mat. Making a point to run my hand over the soft fur one final time. Then I remember that I said I would cut my hair. I dig around through my few belongings until I find my shard of glass. It is dusty and jagged. I found it one day while I was playing in the fields with Caleb. I wonder where it is from. I leave my hair lying on my mat, a final goodbye to my family.

The Priestess waits for me, outside of the temple. She holds the reins of a tall gelding. His fur is a soft red in the moonlight. She places a leather bag in my hands, it is meant to go over my shoulders. I put it on.

"Beatrice, you must ride north until you reach the camp of Amity. Tell them that you bring urgent news from the Abnegation Priestess. Once they take you to their own Priestess simply tell her your name, she will know what to do." She places her hand gently on my cheek.

"I don't want to leave." I whisper.

"I know," she sighs, her hand falling to her sides, "but you must. Inside the tent you will find another bag with clothes in it. Go change, then you must leave."

Most of the clothes are made of tough sturdy leather, lined on the inside with warm padding. Most of them are solid black, to throw off any Dauntless that might see me from a distance. I remove my grey sleep clothes and pull on a woolen black shirt, over that I put a leather tunic. The pants are baggy, far more comfortable than anything I am accustomed to. Finally there is a single pair of leather boots. They are surprisingly warm.

I am about to leave when I see a smooth pane of glass on the far side of the Temple. A mirror. I've never actually seen one. I try to resist the urge to go to it, but it is impossible. This could be the only chance I have to know what I truly look like.

I approach it slowly, as if it might burn me to look upon myself. Once I am close enough I almost cringe away. I am short and thin, my hair is straight, blonde, and cut unevenly around my chin. My eyes are almost too big for my skull and are a dull blue grey. I can't help but touch my nose, I think it's too big.

"Almost done in there?" The Priestess calls.

I jump away from the mirror, "Yes! I'm coming." I almost trip on my way out into the cool night air.

"Now you ride," she helps me onto the horse and smacks his ass, sending him sprinting out on to the plains.

This life is a cruel one.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Just so you know you can follow me on Tumblr my user is rayquazing. You'll see updates as soon as they happen, and you can chat with me about anything :) Please review! I love them!**

It's been three days since I left Abnegation. I have gone through half of my food, but I still have plenty of water. I don't know why I thought Amity would be less than a week away, it could be another week before I see the red and yellow flag.

There are signs of Dauntless everywhere. Around every high patch of grass, the wind during the day smells of the manure from their horses, and at night it smells of bonfires. Sometimes I get close enough that I can hear them, when that happens I ride as hard and fast as I can in the opposite direction. If they find me they will kill me.

I wake up at first light, and rub the sleep from my eyes, I ride until I realize how badly I have to pee. I blush even though I am utterly alone. I still feel like there are eyes on me, watching me from the brush. I find a patch of grass that rises higher than my waist and squat there. I am about to mount my horse again when I hear a sound. Dry grass snapping beneath feet. The horse begins to stir, his tail and withers twitching uneasily. I jump onto his back and give a swift kick. I don't care where he takes me as long as it is away from here.

The cold air bites my face. I can hear horses behind us, their hooves thundering over my own geldings.

"Come on! We got her!" A man calls out to his companions. The Dauntless have found me. They will end me.

I have heard stories of their horses. They are short and stocky, but incredibly fast. Once they find you there is no escape. My horse is no match, he is Abnegation bred he is not built for to outrun other horses. He snorts and throws his head back, then suddenly we both strike the ground hard. I am sent flying several feet forward while he simple lands on his side. A rope wrapped around his back legs, binding them together.

I hear a woman laugh, "I got her! That was me! Wasn't that awesome Uriah?"

"Hell yea, nice job."

They are standing over my horse examining the damage they have done.

"What should we do with him Four," the one called Uriah asks, "He's Abnegation, nothing special. Plus I think Lynn broke his leg."

I hear another man grunt, then my horse squeal before wheezing and sputtering. It sounds wet and weak. I manage to sit up just in time to see a spear being ripped from his side. He cries out again.

"Stop it you bastard!" I yell at the man who is wielding the spear.

"Would you rather it was you?" he asks. His voice is deep and harsh.

The other boy, dark skinned and smiling maliciously, glides toward me. He kicks me back down into the dirt, "Who are you girl? Where are you from?"

"Go fuck yourself." I snap at him, surprising myself.

"Woah, feisty," He presses his boot against my shoulder, it's cleated. I bite my lip as they dig into me, "Why are you so mean?"

I am about to scream when the man who stabbed my horse pulls the boy off of me, "Stop Uriah. We'll take her to Max, he'll handle her. Lynn tie her up, Uriah gag her, she'll ride with me."

The ride to the Dauntless camp is uncomfortable at its best and completely horrifying at its worst. I am slung face down over the horse's shoulders as it sprints though the grass. The ropes rub and burn my wrists, and the gang pinches my cheeks. Whenever we hit a high patch of grass it leaves tiny lacerations across my face. The man called Four keeps a single hand on my lower back to keep me steady, the other holds the reins.

When we stop because Uriah has to pee, I finally get a close look at Four. I had thought that there was something familiar about him, but now I am certain. I just can't quite put my finger on what it is. His skin is tan and his hair is nearly black. His body is muscular in a lean sort of way. His scowl seems to be etched into his face permanently.

After the stop the ride is uneventful. I know we are drawing near to the camp when I hear shouts and smell pipe weed, a type of low growing weed that has hallucinogenic properties when boiled and then smoked. If caught smoking it in Abnegation I would have been punished severely.

The camp is full of life despite the fact that it is after dark. People are laughing and shouting, and I swear I can hear some of them fornicating in bushes nearby. Uriah and Lynn quickly separate from Four and I. He seems to have little interest in what is going on around us, he keeps his and on my back and when I look over my shoulder at him. He is staring straight ahead.

Once we have passed the festivities he begins to speak to me, "I am taking you to the leader of the Dauntless people. When you speak to him you must keep your answers short and to the point. Don't try to lie to him, he knows when he's being lied to."

"What is he going to do to me?" I ask.

"I don't know." He says curtly.

The tent of the Dauntless leaders is very similar to its Abnegation counterpart. It is long and large on the inside with a table set up in the middle. There is only one man inside, he is tall and muscular and facing away from Four and myself.

"Max, we found something interesting when we were on patrol." He pushes me in front of him toward the table.

The man turns toward me and looks me up and down, "She's small. How old are you?"

"Sixteen." I whisper, my eyes cast downward."

"Name?"

I pause to think for a moment, I don't want them to take that from me, the last piece of Abnegation I have. I lie, "Tris."

"Last name too, girl."

"Does it really matter sir?" I cock an eyebrow at him.

He sighs, "I guess not. What is your tribe of origin and why were you so far from it?"

"I'm not a spy if that's what you're asking."

"Answer my question." He grabs my chin, pulling my eyes up to his.

"I'm the daughter of two wanderers," I lie, "I was only out for an afternoon ride." I hear Four shift behind me. He knows that I am lying.

Max looks to Four, "What do you think we should do with her?"

"I don't know sir."

"Well, Four, she may not be much, but I'm giving her to you." He smiles.

I had forgotten that the Dauntless kept slaves.

"Sir I-"

"She's my gift to you Four, you need to learn to relax a little. I'm sure having a young woman lying around will help with that." Laughs and pats Four on the back, "Show her what you can do."

I choke back tears as Four leads me toward his tent. This is bad, this is very very bad.

The inside of his tent is dark, but clean. There are very few personal belongings besides a mat and a small pile of clothe in the corner.

"You'll sleep on the dirt tonight. I'll get you a proper mat tomorrow." His voice is quiet and tired.

I sit down across from his mat, and avert my eyes as he removes his shirt.

"You'll work to earn your keep around here, you'll clean and you'll cook," he pauses and runs a hand through his dark hair, "I'm not going to use you the way Max implied. I'm not attracted to girls who are so small."

I cross my arms over my chest and try to stop my cheeks from flushing, "Was that really a necessary comment Four?"

He turns and looks to me with steely unyielding eyes, "You will address me as Sir."

I nod. This man is intimidating.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I am now on Ao3 under the same user. Its 3 A.M. right now, so even though I proofread twice there are probably mistakes. Enjoy!**

Life as a slave to the Dauntless isn't as bad as one would expect. They treat all of their own with integrity, salves less-so, but I am not discriminated against for my gender. Men and women are equals here. I have not had to do any sort of hard labor. When I asked four why this was, he mumbled something about Abnegation hating curiosity.

Does he know I am Abnegation? Or was he once Abnegation? I'll ask him later.

I am cleaning our clothes in a small stream not far from the base camp. I would run, but without a horse there's no point. Four managed to get some clothes from some of his female friends. Almost all of them are meant for women who are larger and bustier than I am, I look borderline comical in them.

I accidentally scrape my knuckle on a rock in the stream and hiss.

"Fuck me," I snap, I wouldn't use language like that in Abnegation, but here vulgar speech is commonplace. One thing that Abnegation does excel in is medical treatment. One of my mother's homemade salves and this cut would be closed by morning. In Dauntless I either accept heat treatment, the use of fire to treat whatever affliction I am suffering from, or risk infection. Honestly I'm risking infection either way. They only give real treatment to those who are close to death.

I pull the shirt I was washing from the stream and place it in the basket with the rest of the soaked clothing. I pick it up and begin to wade through the sea of grass back to the camp. I will hang the clothes outside of Four's tent, hopefully he won't find something wrong with them. He seems to always be finding things about my work to criticize.

As I begin hanging the clothes on the thing lines of rope, I can see Four several tents away getting drunk with his friends. It's not even sunset yet. He'll come home, vomit in a corner and pass out. Then tomorrow he'll wake up and whine about being hung over. It's part of the routine I've fallen into. He dose three times a week. I wouldn't mind if I wasn't the one cleaning up the vomit.

After I finish hanging the clothes I go inside and lay down. I'm not tired, but I want to look like I am asleep when Four comes in. He'll leave me alone then. The may that he got me is surprising nice considering it was intended for a slave. It is made of elk pelt, much like my own. It remind me of home. I feel like I might cry. I bite my lip and ball my hands into fists. I will not cry here. I will not give them that. They will not break me.

I want to leave this place. I want to go home. But I can never go back, my leaving is a betrayal to my family and my tribe.

Four stumbles in hours later. His steps are uneven and he almost falls as he struggles to pull his shirt off.

"Tris," he whispers, "Tris wake up."

I roll over and glare at him, "what do you want?"

He licks his lips and stares at me for an uncomfortably long amount of time, I know what he means, but I act clueless.

"A snack," he sighs.

"Its winter sir, we should preserve our food."

He frowns then grumbles, "you've been with me for three weeks now, you should know that what I say is law to you." He slurs his words horribly, "I own you!" He turns and vomits into the fire pit. Then he backs up and trips falling onto me.

"Damn it Four!" I shove him away. I knew this was coming, but that doesn't make this anymore pleasant. He whimpers against the ground, he sounds like he is in pain. The Abnegation in me takes over and I move to his side. I help him to his feet and keep one hand on him, steadying him as I guide him to his mat. As I pull the blanket over him he starts to mumble.

It's going to be a long night.

Once morning comes and Four is still vomiting I decide that he must be sick. I touch his forehead and he is very warm. He tries several times to sit up and every time I push him back down.

"Four I'm going the medic's, you need to stay down." He rolls onto his side and groans. I push the bowl he's been using closer to his side in case he vomits again.

The medic's tent is entirely red, sticking out against the solid black of the rest of the camp. Inside two women, who I assume are the medics, are playing cards on a raised table obviously meant for a patient to lie on. There are several trunks, all of them large and crafted from a dark wood, lined up on the eastern side of the room.

"What do you need?" one of the girls, her head shaved, acknowledges me. It's Lynn, the girl who captured me on the plains. I see recognition spread across her face and she laughs, "Hey it's you, how's life as a slave?" she's mocking me.

"Hey, Mar," Lynn calls out to the other girl, "This is the bitch I was telling you about. Four's girl."

I roll my eyes, "I am not _Four's girl_." I snap.

Lynn laughs, "Yes you are! Do you not know the implications of the word slave? Then again you wanderers are pretty stupid."

"They don't have any kind of education," the other girl chimes in, "they can't even read." I feel defensive. I want to tell them that I am wrong. I am not stupid, I can read. But I cannot give myself away. So instead I let them think the flush that has crossed my cheeks is embarrassment not anger.

"I'm Marlene, by the way, why did four send you here?" She doesn't move from where she sits, her cards still in her hand.

"He's sick."

"What symptoms is he exhibiting?" Marlene asks. Lynn has gone back to her place across from Marlene.

"Vomiting, fever, and he's practically delirious. He can barely speak."

Lynn sighs, "Yeah that's going around the camp. Come back I two days if his fever hasn't broken, or if he stops drinking. I would suggest heat treatment. Take hot coals and wrap them in a thick hide, and place it on his stomach. The god of fire and war will help to rid him of his ailment."

Dauntless and their stupid heat treatment. Then again maybe the heat will help his fever to break. "Thank you," I bow slightly.

"Oh it wasn't for you little wanderer, it was for Four," Lynn says, "If you were sick I'd tell Four to throw you in the stream and leave you. Your kind aren't worth the trouble, the Gods have abandoned you."

I leave quickly with my eyes set on the ground. Lynn's little speech wasn't necessary, it stung.

Four is still in the position I left him in, his breath is quick and shallow. I kneel next to him and pull the blanket away, he is covered in sweat. I'm not going to subject him to heat treatment when he is already so hot. I pat him dry with the blanket then set it off to the side. It is cold enough today for the stream to be frozen. I decide to get him some ice. I take the basket I use for transporting laundry and empty to dirty clothing onto the floor.

The wind bites hard today, it is cold and persistent. It reddens my cheeks and stings my eyes. The stream is frozen solid, and I have to use a rock to break off chunks of ice. One has a small fish inside of it. I fill the basket up halfway and begin to drag it back. Then I stop. I could run, leave this place and flee to Amity. I could, but I won't. On the horizon I see a storm coming. Winter has reached its peak. To leave now would be suicide. So I continue with the basket of ice.

I leave the basket outside to keep the ice from melting and take one large chunk. I wrap it in one of Four's shirts and place it on his forehead. He whimpers and grabs my small cold hand with his large warm one. It is heavily calloused. I touch his cheek mesmerized by the way the low burning fire casts shadows across his damp skin. When he is awake he is fierce and handsome, the kind of handsome that could destroy you with a single glance, burn an entire villager with his eyes. When he is asleep he is a different kind of handsome. His beauty becomes almost boyish, he reminds me of a lamb. My fingertips have reached the corner of his mouth and he begins to stir. I tug my hand away.

"Beatrice…" he whispers.

My name. My actual name. How does he know it? How does my captor, whom I have been very careful to lie to, know my true name. It must be some sort of coincidence, he must know a Dauntless woman of the same name. It could be possible if Beatrice wasn't an Abnegation name. Suddenly I remember his eyes. Deep beautiful blue eyes that he shares with someone else I know. This man, no, this boy, is Tobias. He is the lost son of Marcus Eaton, the Shaman of Abnegation. I want to kick him and scream at him. He betrayed us. He left us and somehow managed to join another tribe.

I will nurse him back to health, then I will blackmail him with this knowledge. I will hopefully be freed by morning.

For now I keep ice on his head.

By morning his fever is broken and he has his mind under control. He eats some bread and drinks some water.

"You need to stop thinking, I can practically hear it," ne snaps as I lay across from him on my mat, "what do you even have to think about anyway? I hope you're not plotting an escape. It won't work."

"I'm not going to try an escape, there's a storm moving in. If you could actually get up and go outside you would see that it's already started to snow." I mumble. I don't know how to begin this conversation.

"Then what the hell has you so bothered." I slumps against the tent, causing it to shift.

"Nothing, Tobias." Well that's one way.

He is frozen his eyes locked on me. I think he might actually try to strangle me. I grimace when he moves away from the fabric, causing the tent to move back into position.

"How do you know my name?" I hisses at me.

"How do you know mine?" I hiss back.

"Shit," he growls, "Must've been having a fever dream." He stands up and faces away from me running his hands through his hair. The symbol for each of the five tribes stares at me, inked into his skin. The flames of the Dauntless, the hands of Abnegation, the Candor scales, the wide eye of the Erudite, and the tree of Amity. Each one carefully and permanently marked into his back by an expert hand.

"You can't tell anyone." He snaps at me. Turning on his heel to face me.

I stand up too, though I am no match for his height. "How about this? You tell me how you know me, and why you left Abnegation, the let me go. And I'll keep your secret." I tap one finger against his chest and he tenses.

"Is that what this is? He sent you to find out why I left?" His eyes are almost feral, "He's using you against me?"

"You think someone sent me to find you? Come on Tobias. We both know how ridiculous that is." I am standing toe to toe with him now.

He steps back and shakes his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "I-I need a minute." With that he leaves.

**A/N: Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

I don't know how he can possibly stand the cold. I'm indoors and I'm shivering. As far as I know Tobias is wandering aimlessly out in the storm. He's just recovered from a fever too, it can't be good for him to be on his feet. I want to go after him, but the storm blows hard against the delicate fabric walls of the tent discouraging me from chasing him. So I sit by the fire and wait, holding my hands over the flames in an attempt to warm them. It doesn't work very well, the thin walls do little to insulate.

My mind wanders back to Abnegation and the mission the Priestess sent me out on. I failed, but it doesn't bother me. Part of me thinks the woman might've been insane. She told me so little, only that I needed to make it to Amity. And she mentioned some fictional Goddess, every tribe worships God, a male God. There is no Goddess. She had to have been senile. Yet there is still something gnawing away at me, something deep within me. Sometimes I think about searching for the Dauntless Priestess, that is, if they have one.

Tobias slams through into the tent bringing with him the bitter biting air from outside. White flakes flood the air. The scruff along his jaw has tiny crystals of ice embedded in it.

"Beatrice Prior," He says as he sits down across from me, the flames cast shadows across the panels of his face and bare chest, that idiot was out in the storm without a shirt on, "I thought I'd never see another Abnegation face again, but here you are."

"Here I am." I say, I don't break eye contact.

"You know why I left, don't you?" He asks.

"I have an idea," I think of the rumors that spread through my old tribe, rumors of bruises on a young boy's skin, "You know your father, Marcus, said he saw you in one of his visions. It wasn't too long before I left."

"I don't care about him, he's dead to me." He sighs and rests his head in his hands, "You can't tell anyone Tris, why I really left."

"I won't, but what did you tell them when they found you?" I whisper.

"It doesn't matter now, I already lied my way here. You can go once this storm passes over, I won't hold you here any longer."

He's letting me go, but I don't have a home to go to. I can't go back to Abnegation, and I don't want to spend the rest of my life wandering the plains.

"I can't."

"What do you mean you can't? You were just asking to be let go an hour ago!" He snaps.

"I hadn't thought it through, I can't go back to Abnegation and I won't become a wanderer." I fall back onto my mat and close my eyes. It's just now hitting me, nearly a month after my departure, I can never go back home. I'll never see my mother or father again, I'll even miss Caleb. I feel like I might cry. I pull my forearm over my eyes to hide any tears that might escape.

Tobias seems to sense my anguish and begins to speak more gently.

"You left without a plan?" he asks. I feel him sit down next to me on my mat.

"I—There was a plan, but I don't think it matters now. I was pulled to the side by the Priestess of Abnegation and told that I had to flee the tribe and go to Amity. She didn't say why. I think she might've been going off the deep end. I shouldn't have listened to her." I'm crying now. And I hate myself for it.

Tobias remains silent for a moment before his hand covers mine.

"We'll go and speak to the Dauntless Priestess once the storm passes, we'll figure this out, okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

"Now get some sleep, you need it. Hopefully the storm will have passed by morning," he pulls his hand away and moves to his own mat.

I continue to fight down tears.

Morning brings more strong winds and heavy snow over the Dauntless camp. I wake up heavy limbed and with a pounding headache. I hardly slept at all and I am paying the price. Tobias, on the other hand, sleeps late into the afternoon. When he does wake he hardly speaks a word to me. All the kindness he had shown last night is gone now. He spends most of the day sharpening arrow heads while I spend my time staring off into oblivion.

When he finally does speak his voice sounds detached.

"You know, had I stayed in Abnegation, we would've been married."

"What?" Where did that come from? What the hell is he talking about?

"Think about it Tris. It makes sense. A marriage between two of the leaders children would've strengthened the bloodlines."

"I was never told." He is right though. It makes perfect sense, "My father said I was likely going to be given to Robert, Susan's brother."

His nose scrunches at the name, "It was probably after I left that they made that decision."

"I would take you over Robert any day, and you're no ray of sunshine." I chuckle.

"I remember the first time I was told about our betrothal, I must've been fourteen, which would put you at twelve," he's smiling, "my father pointed at you and said 'you are to marry that girl upon her rite of passage, she will be yours.' I was disappointed to say the least. I had hoped to marry someone with curves and bends, tan skin and alluring eyes, but I was stuck with tiny and pale."

"Hey! No need to be such a jerk!" I look away from him. That had hurt, "I change my mind I'd take Robert a thousand times over before I chose you."

"You didn't let me finish," he chuckles, "Now that I've met you I think I actually might've enjoyed being with you. You have a certain something to you that I can't explain, but I like it."

I blush, "Well it's too late now."

"Hmm, I suppose you're right." He returns to his spear head.

I was going to be married to Tobias Eaton. Every girl in Abnegation would've been after my head. It's impossible not to notice how attractive he is, and his usual dark and brooding demeanor just seems to add to it. I wonder how I would've reacted when my parents told me. Would I have been happy to be marrying someone of his social standing? I'll never know.

**A/N: Hey everyone! This chapter was mostly filler, there will be more real development next chapter. My Tumblr is ****rayquazing**** for those who may be interested in chatting some time.**


End file.
